Pepsi Center near the Tivoli Center on the Auraria Campus.
Just before Christmas I found myself at a Finance Forum suggested by my advisor from SBDC. The turnout was better than I anticipated. I saw quite a number of people I had met over the past few months of attending different classes, conferences and meetings it took to get my new small business started.
The cafeteria-style interior Tivoli Center on the Auraria Campus near the Pepsi Center reminded me of the dormitories from my college days. Walking to the end of the hallway, past the restrooms, I stepped into a crowded suit-dominated function. Booths lined the room representing nearly every bank and credit union in the city of Denver. At the far end of the room was a stage upon which Gov. Bill Ritter gave a small press conference.
As part of his continued focus on Colorado's economy, Ritter commented "Colorado has a much higher concentration of small businesses than other states, and it's vital we do all we can to help them survive this national financial crisis." It was a biting cold day outside and the characters onstage reminded me of a scene from Private Eye, with Ritter standing surrounded by bodyguards and paparazzi. "Small businesses are the backbone of Colorado's economy," Ritter said. An enormous bulb went off as the camera flashed, and a man in a tan trenchcoat and sand-colored fedora hat ushered the governor backstage.
The Small Business Finance Forum at Auraria campus was one of a series that traveled throughout the state in December to help small businesses survive the ongoing financial crisis. I headed upstairs to find my advisor. The loft at Turnhalle was scattered with tables and chairs and people. Counseling sessions were going on, with some of Denver’s best-kept-secret business gurus doling out free tips on how not to let your investments tank in the new year.
We really are at a crossroads. Hovering at the cusp of a new year, a change of power and a turbulent market many have never witnessed before. We are at war on foreign soil and fighting for survival within our own borders. The message I got was to keep expenses to a minimum, old-school style, but to keep on trucking. As I made my way to different bank booths downstairs, I began to realize the simplest advice can be the hardest to follow. Talking about cutting expenses is one thing but can I really go without my daily Starbucks latte?
Relying on credit can be devastating. Our duty to spend money wisely is no longer just a patriotic gambit, but a global responsibility. Do you know how to get your business through the next few months? Are you looking for banking alternatives to your current situation?
“Surviving Tough Times” will be making another tour throughout Colorado. This one-day event will be open from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at the following locations:
Grand Junction: Monday, Jan. 26 - Double Tree Hotel
Colorado Springs: Wednesday, Feb. 11 - Location TBD
Fort Collins: Tuesday, Feb. 17 - Location TBD
Durango: Tuesday, March 17 - Location TBD
Comments
I must say I had a great appreation for this article, as I have a small business of my own. I thought the author captured the essence of the economic crisis when she said, (and I paraphrase), that following "simple" advice is not always "easy";that cutting expenses is much easier said than done. But she seemed to put it much more eloquently than I!
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